I started dabbling with a camera in my early-teens but my interest in photography declined as life’s priorities began to change when I entered my later teens. Fast forward to 1988 - my interest in photography resurfaced and I purchased my first ‘serious’ camera which was a Practika SLR film camera. I joined WPS in 1989 and quite quickly upgraded to a Canon EOS N1 Pro with a range of Canon’s EOS lenses. After a couple of years, in late 2002, I made the move into digital photography but still remained loyal to Canon - and have done so until very recently. However, I’ve just sold most of my Canon lenses as my kit had become just too heavy to carry around during a day’s photography. To further my interest in Club photography and a wish ‘to put something back’ into our hobby, I signed-up for an MCPF Judging Course at Smethwick PS in 2006 and became a qualified Photographic Circuit Judge working in and around our Region. I did this for just over ten years so I definitely know how it feels to be on both sides of the fence in club competitions. Life moved on and several years later I achieved my Royal Photographic Society Licentiateship (LRPS) qualification followed a few years later by an Associateship (ARPS) qualification. At the moment, I belong to the WPS Qualifications Group and I have started working towards a Fellowship (FRPS), but it is proving a very, very steep mountain to climb. Working towards, and obtaining, a recognised photographic qualification is something I would recommend to any WPS member because you learn so much about photography and the process provides such positive goals to aspire to. I really am glad I put the effort in to achieving both my ‘L’ and ‘A’ so far, but an ‘F’ is an extremely difficult level to achieve - there less than 600 photographers in the whole world who have achieved FRPS status! Occasionally, I am asked what my favourite photographic genre is, but the truth is that I will photograph just about anything that interests me. At the moment it is Street Photography and I have recently bought a light- weight mirrorless Olympus Pen f digital camera with a 17mm f1.8 prime lens, this being a highly recommended combination for modern Street Photography, so I will see how I get on with it. So, that is me. I’ve have been a member of WPS for over thirty years now - can someone please explain to me where all that time has gone? But, be assured, I’m looking forward to the next thirty though!

Night Hunter

Theatre At 10pm

Singer's Shadow

1800 Centigrade

Hand Letter Cutting

Gargoyle

Red Guitar